Of all the questions that you have asked me thus far, I think this one has generated the most immediate response or reaction within me.

Not only because of the social injustice that all too often goes along with the applying of labels – especially when it comes to mental illness and mental health, but also because it involves you, one of my children.

Not that I think that you cannot handle it honey. I know you well enough to know that you can indeed handle these things. And, knowing you, that you will set people right if the label is inappropriate and you think it is worth doing. But I think every worthwhile parent would be concerned to think that their child or children was hearing potentially harmful or unjust stuff about them.

And that statement in itself, having just typed and re-read it, does cause my thoughts (as so many things do with my mind) to go off on an interesting tangent…

Nowhere within your question have you even indicated that those labels – which you have heard people putting on me – were in anyway negative. I have simply assumed that they are negative and inappropriate. And I have done that, I think, because that is what so often happens when it comes to mental health or mental illness.

And isn’t it so very tragic that this should be the natural assumption or conclusion reached when someone mentions labels in respect of mental illness?

The plain simple truth is honey that you kids probably know me better than any other person on earth. So I am confident that you will have, by now, formulated your own opinions of me and are more than able to filter out any wrongful impressions implied or applied as a result of any labels that people choose to put on me.

But of course, part of the reason for that is that you are now all adults. So I have to be honest with you honey, part of me wonders if you have witnessed some of these labels being applied earlier in your life. And I wonder what their impact would have been then? Perhaps when you didn’t have the life skills or maturity to look beyond the labels or to be able to filter out any that were not justly applied?

See that’s the thing about labels isn’t it. We all too often simply accept them and so they all too often stop us looking or thinking any further. Unless of course that label happens to peak our curiosity – perhaps because it seems to be misplaced or perhaps because it is a new label and we don’t recognize it.

And how do we know that they are wrongly applied unless we look further, unless we look beyond the label? Unless we actually take time to consider or to see what is within that thing or within that person who is being labelled?

And here’s the deal honey. There is no single label that you will ever find which will adequately or comprehensively explain all that is within me, or within you, or within anyone else for that matter. So when it comes to people, even if the label fits, it will never be enough.

As you know, I have three canisters next to my kettle. One is labelled ‘Sugar’, one ‘Tea’, and one ‘Coffee’. And those labels are adequate and applicable because almost always (unless I have had a particularly bad episode and filled one of them with something else) whenever you go to one of them you will generally always and only find in them what the label on the outside indicates you will find. The labels in this case are not a bad thing and they serve a purpose.

But people aren’t like that. No matter what label we apply – banker, teacher, sales-clerk, pilot, plumber, electrician, mother, father, son, daughter – they are never enough to adequately or comprehensively describe the person behind the label.

Honey, you are my child, my daughter. But you are so much more than both of those things and so much within these things…

You are; my child ( well my grown-up child), my daughter, a friend, a confidant, a soul-mate, a joy, loving, kind, considerate, compassionate, caring, a delight, an encourager, an inspiration, a blessing, a strength, a hope, a comfort, a happiness bringer, a frustration bringer (well sometimes you are 🙂 ), a hope bringer, a laughter bringer, a peace bringer, an emotion generator, a contentment giver, a challenge and a challenger.

In so many ways you complete me, and in so many ways you draw more out of me, and in so many ways you inspire yet more to come. But honey even with that long list of things that you are to me, it still seems inadequate and incomplete.

Why? Because there is no label that can adequately or comprehensively say all of those things or express who you are to me. And no label which can adequately or comprehensively include all of those things as well as what you are to your husband, your friends, your work colleagues, etc. etc.

So how does the fact that you sometimes hear people putting labels on me make me feel?

It makes me feel kind of sad honey. Sad for anyone who thinks that by sticking a label on me they can adequately or comprehensively describe me. And sad for anyone who sees or hears that label and who doesn’t take time to look beyond it.

And sad if this happened at a time when you were not able to see and know all of these things and if they caused you any kind of distress.

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Many Thanks.

Trigger Warning Sign Employment & Disclaimer

This site employs the Trigger Warning Sign.

I will, where possible, display this sign at the start of any post where I consider the subject matter to be of a sensitive nature and such that could cause possible distress to others.

Please understand that sensitivity is a very personal thing and thus I cannot guarantee that something posted on this site which I do not consider to be sensitive or to potentially cause distress (and thus does not include the displaying of this sign) will not cause distress to some. I therefor apologize in advance if this happens.

Further information concerning the Trigger Warning Sign can be found here.

Please also be aware that the author of this blog makes no claims to be an expert in this field or a mental-health practitioner of any sort.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are exactly that - simply views and opinions of the author as a mental illness sufferer and it is strongly advised that readers seek professional advice before making any decision in respect of their own mental health and/or the mental health of those in their care.

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Blog For Mental Health 2012

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Many thanks go out to Fractured Angel from the The Mirth Of Despair for her having taken the time to nominate this blog.

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Many thanks go out to Fractured Angel from the The Mirth Of Despair for her having taken the time to nominate this blog.

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My deep appreication goes to Carla Renee from the Seasons Change, and change for her having considered me and for her very kind words.

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My deep appreication goes to Eileen from the ...But She's Crazy for her having considered me and for her very kind words. I would also like to thank bpshielsy from the bipolar place for also nominatinfg this blog for this award,

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Concerning Mental Health Issues

Please be advised that the purpose of this blog is to provide a journal of the way that my mental health impacts my life, my relationships and my faith.
Unless I specifically recommend a course of action within a post or article I strongly recommend that no one try to do the things I mention or tries to copy the behavior I record within this blog.
If you believe that you or a friend or loved one may be suffering from mental health issues I strongly recommend that you seek professional help.
God Bless.

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